Apple officially responds to iPhone tracking issue

Apple posted a Q&A today with its response to concerns about how its iPhone records location data.

In its post, Apple says the location database isn't tracking the iPhone. However, it does keep a database of nearby mobile phone towers and Wi-Fi hotspots so apps on the device can use that information for features and services.

According to the Q&A, large amounts of this location-based data isn't supposed to be stored on the iPhone, and its lingering on the device is due to a bug.

"This data is not the iPhone’s location data — it is a subset (cache) of the crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower database which is downloaded from Apple into the iPhone to assist the iPhone in rapidly and accurately calculating location," Apple explains in the Q&A. "The reason the iPhone stores so much data is a bug we uncovered and plan to fix shortly."

Future updates to the phone's iOS software will fix this bug and others, stop backing up the location database to a computer when the phone is synced, trim its profile on the phone and eventually encrypt the database on the phone.

Apple also announced today that its long-awaited white iPhone 4 will be available starting Thursday.

The white iPhone 4 will be available from Apple’s online store, its retail stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores and select Apple authorized resellers. The white iPhone 4 is, well, a white iPhone 4. It works exactly like the black iPhone 4 and costs the same: $199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB model with a new two year service agreement.